Desert raves and apocalyptic doom collide in 'Sirāt,' one of the year's most talked about films

Desert raves and apocalyptic doom collide in 'Sirāt,' one of the year's most talked about films

TORONTO — Oliver Laxe, the spiritually minded, 6-foot-6-inch French-born Galician director, knows that his new film, “Sirāt,” has given him a reputation to live up to.

“When I’m on a plane and things are going bad, I say, “Come on, you’re the director of ‘Sirāt.' You cannot be scared,” Laxe, 41, says, laughing.

Since its prize-winning debut at the Cannes Film Festival, “Sirāt” has been one the year’s most talked about films. It's about a father who, with his 12-year-old son , is searching for his teenage daughter. After arriving at a remote rave in southern Morocco, where they have no luck, they flee with a small caravan of ravers who ride across a desert expanse.

A primal beat sounds thro